DIR EN GREY: 'Dum Spiro Spero' First-Week Sales Revealed

August 10, 2011

"Dum Spiro Spero", the eighth studio album from the unique, artful Japanese rock band DIR EN GREY, sold around 3,900 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 135 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD landed at position No. 2 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

"Dum Spiro Spero" (translates to the Latin phrase "While I breathe, I hope") was released on August 2 via The End Records.

DIR EN GREY vocalist Kyo, guitarists Kaoru and Die, bassist Toshiya and drummer Shinya is inspired by sorrow, pain and anger either personally experienced or witnessed in others. The band strives to maintain this theme in their videos which further push the societal envelope.

The themes from the new video and album also happen to directly coincide with the recent turmoil in their native Japan. Toshiya explains, We live in a world where we dont know what is the truth and what we should believe in. We just wanted to put some hope into the music we created." Kaoru adds, "And, the title is what we can say to the world as the people of Japan." The title translates to the Latin phrase, "While I breathe, I hope."

In our time when heavy rock music has become diversified, DIR EN GREY's deep and extensive, unique perspective is once again borderless, uncategorized. This record which encapsulates the band's present will not only secure tremendous support from the hardcore devotees, but will surely gain recognition from heavy rock fans, including guitar enthusiasts and Western-music-obsessed music fans.

DIR EN GREY released "Dum Spiro Spero" as a standard CD, a double LP (both featuring the same 14 tracks) and a deluxe CD which features the two bonus tracks. Also available is the limited edition bundle, which features:

* The deluxe version of the CD (with the two bonus tracks)
* The double LP
* Digital download of album
* An exclusive t-shirt design
* An autographed poster (while supplies last).

"Dum Spiro Spero" track listing:

01. Kyoukotsu No Nari
02. The Blossoming Beelzebub
03. Different Sense
04. Amon
05. "Yokusou Ni Dreambox" Aruiwa Seijuku No Rinen To Tsumetai Ame
06. Juuyoku
07. Shitataru Mourou
08. Lotus
09. Diabolos
10. Akatsuki
11. Decayed Crow
12. Hageshisa To, Kono Mune No Naka De Karamitsuita Shakunetsu No Yami
13. Vanitas
14. Ruten No Tou

Deluxe edition bonus tracks:

15. Rasetsukoku
16. Amon (symphonic version)

"Different Sense" video:

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